1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the invention of dispensing a solid product with a diluent, and more particularly to a method and apparatus of controlling the dispensing rate when the diluent changes temperature.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dispensers that utilize a diluent to erode a product, such as a sanitizer or detergent, are well known. The product being dispensed is typically a solid product and can take the form of either a solid block of chemicals, pellets or a cast product. One example of such a dispenser is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,661 by Copeland et al. This patent discloses a solid block chemical dispenser for cleaning systems. The dispenser includes a spray nozzle for directing a uniform dissolving spray on to a surface of a solid block of cleaning composition. The nozzle sprays on the exposed surface of the solid block, dissolving a portion of the block and forming a use solution. This is just one example of a dispenser that uses a diluent and further just one example of the type of products that may be dispensed. It is recognized that there are many different dispensers which utilize diluents to erode and dispense a portion of a product, which may also have any number of forms.
When dispensing a use solution, it is often important to maintain a certain concentration of the use solution. Prior art dispensers that have done this by controlling the amount of water being sprayed on the solid and added to the use solution have typically used electronics in controlling the valves. Still further, when the additional diluent is added to the use solution, in prior art dispensers, there is often a problem of foaming.
The present invention addresses the problems associated with the prior art dispensers.